The bathroom in this house was merely an open-air space by the corner of the courtyard wall, nestled against the fence and the adjacent building, with a tattered cloth curtain serving as a cover.
Xie Yucheng went in first to take a quick shower, then entered the house to call Wen Shiqing out to wash up.
The night had fallen, and the moon was the brightest incandescent lamp.
Wen Shiqing, holding her clothes, entered the bathroom. From behind the curtain, the sound of splashing water could be heard intermittently.
Xie Yucheng did not go back inside but leaned against the wall not far away. The curtain of the bathroom did not reach the ground, revealing a glimpse of slender, pale ankles moving about inside.
Suddenly feeling an itch in his teeth, he averted his gaze and pulled a cigarette from his pocket to smoke.
The crimson cigarette was held between his fingers as he tilted his head back and exhaled a cloud of pale smoke from his lungs, his thoughts drifting along with the hazy wisps.
After finishing her shower, feeling refreshed and clean, Wen Shiqing slipped into a light, airy top and hurried into the house with small, quick steps, shutting the night out behind her.
The movement stirred a soft, floral fragrance from her, reminiscent of gardenias, its delicate scent instantly filling the entire room.
“Finished washing?” Xie Yucheng was sitting by the table.
“Yes.” Wen Shiqing lowered her gaze, drying her hair with a towel. Her eyes drifted to the bed in the room, and for some reason, a faint blush spread across her cheeks.
“Dry your hair and get to bed early.” Xie Yucheng stood up and walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To sleep in the truck.” He looked at her quizzically, thinking she had something to say.
Wen Shiqing’s face flushed even redder. So, he was going to sleep in the truck.
Seeing that she remained silent, Xie Yucheng reminded her, “Lock the door. Slide the bolt from the inside before you sleep.”
“I know.”
The man pulled the door open and strode away. A short while later, he returned, tried pushing the door, and finding it securely locked, felt reassured before heading back to the truck.
The mountain nights were not too hot, with a gentle breeze making it comfortable and pleasant.
Several large trucks were parked outside the courtyard. A few men were sleeping in their respective vehicles, each with the windows rolled down—partly for better airflow to stay cool, and partly to stay alert to any outside noises, guarding against fuel thieves.
If a public vehicle’s fuel was stolen, it didn’t matter much, but for their own trucks, the drivers had paid for the fuel themselves, so the cost came out of their own pockets. That’s why most truck drivers slept in their vehicles.
Xie Yucheng lay on the narrow bunk in the back, his arms pillowing his head. Having moved cargo in the morning and driven in the afternoon, exhaustion soon washed over him, and he fell asleep before long.
Sometime in the night—though the sky was still dark—the truck door was quietly pulled open.
Xie Yucheng, always alert, immediately opened his eyes at the sound. The familiar, faint floral scent drifted over as the girl took off her shoes and climbed onto the cramped bunk, settling on his chest.
“I’m scared to sleep alone,” she murmured, her voice soft and trembling at the edges.
In the confined space of the truck, her soft body pressed against his. She shifted occasionally, unconsciously rubbing against him as she adjusted her position. Xie Yucheng’s expression darkened, and he lay rigidly still.
“Xie Yucheng,” she whispered, “your heart is beating so fast.”
As she spoke, the sweet fragrance of her breath brushed against his jaw, sending a shiver through him.
Xie Yucheng gripped her waist and said in a low voice, “Get down!”
She squirmed even more. “No, I want to sleep here.”
Moonlight streamed in through the glass, and the girl lifted her head, her clear, bright eyes fixed directly on him.
“Xie Yucheng, what are you afraid of?”
“I’m not.”
“Then why don’t you dare look at me?”
“Go back to your room to sleep!” He pushed her, but couldn’t move her.
Wen Shiqing lowered her head and pressed a kiss against his thin lips, their soft mouths meeting.
Between his breaths, the man caught the sweet fragrance, the stray strands of the girl’s hair falling onto his cheeks, tickling him.
Xie Yucheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his breathing tightened, and the hand gripping her waist tightened its hold.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” he asked through gritted teeth, his voice low and heavy.
The girl chuckled lightly, “You like me, why don’t you dare say it?”
Her cool fingertips traced his lips as she whispered in his ear, “Xie Yucheng, you’re a coward.”
Those delicate, enchanting eyes seemed to hold a tempting hook. Xie Yucheng closed his eyes, refusing to look at her.
He said coldly, “I don’t like you.”
“You’re lying! If you don’t like me, why are you so good to me? Why do you buy me pastries? Why do you give me gifts? Why do you only order dishes I like? Why do you guard me when I’m taking a bath?”
While mercilessly exposing him, she pulled his large hand and lifted her skirt.
Xie Yucheng suddenly opened his dark eyes, his gloomy gaze fixed directly on her.
The girl smiled slyly, “Xie Yucheng, your body is more honest than your mouth.”
She took the initiative to kiss him again.
“Wen Shiqing…” The man’s voice was hoarse, his eyes red, his chest heaving as he desperately restrained himself.
“Xie Yucheng, what are you afraid of? Did you know my mother never registered her marriage with Uncle Xie?”
“I know,” he said.
“And there’s no blood relationship between you and me,” she emphasized.
“I know,” he said, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“Kiss me,” she said.
Like a sudden burst of flame, not even the Yangtze River could suppress it.
Xie Yucheng took control, his hand pressing against the back of her neck, fiercely crushing her lips. Just like in countless dreams, he pinned her beneath him, mercilessly plundering every bit of her air, full of aggression.
He was like an addict, tempted by what was before him, step by step lured into depravity.
The taut string in his mind had long since snapped.
The air grew scorching, the heat steadily rising, their breaths becoming increasingly rapid…
Dawn broke, noise coming from outside. Before six o’clock, many truck drivers had already eaten breakfast and started their vehicles, preparing to leave.
The rumbling of trucks and the chirping of birds in the woods abruptly woke the dreamer.
Xie Yucheng opened his eyes, suddenly sat up, and after a moment of daze, realized he had had an absurd dream last night.
A thin layer of sweat covered his forehead. He wiped his face in frustration, pounding the seatback beside him, overwhelmed by intense shame and self-loathing.
During breakfast, Wen Shiqing, holding a bowl of rice porridge, asked him, “Brother, didn’t you sleep well last night?”
She noticed his weary expression and tired demeanor.
“Yeah, a bit,” Xie Yucheng replied, pressing his temples.
“Next time, you should sleep in the hotel room too.”
Distracted, he didn’t respond, hastily finishing his breakfast without tasting any flavors, salty or sweet.
As they packed their things to leave, a familiar face suddenly emerged from a car that had just parked in the yard—it was a driver from Xie Yucheng’s former workplace who had also been on good terms with his father.
Learning that the driver was heading back to the city, Xie Yucheng offered him a cigarette and asked, “Master Zhang, if you’re returning to the city, could you give my sister a ride?”
The other person readily agreed, “Sure, just wait a moment. I’m going to grab a meal first.” Uncle Zhang walked into the courtyard.
Wen Shiqing, standing nearby, could hardly believe his ears and looked at Xie Yucheng in astonishment.
He had clearly agreed to let him ride along in the truck—why was he going back on his word now?
“Brother, I’m not going back. I want to go with you to deliver the goods.”